"Children - children - I don't know what I'll do with you if you
don't stop that constant bickering," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You must not
dispute so."

"Well, mamma, but isn't chasing your tail a trick?" asked Flossie.
"Freddie says it isn't."

"Well, it isn't a circus trick, anyhow," declared her brother. "I meant
a circus trick."

"Well, Snoop is a good cat, anyhow," went on Flossie, "and I wish we had
him back."

"Oh, so do I!" exclaimed Freddie, and thus that little dispute ended.

They were walking along through a little patch of woods now, when Bert,
who was the last one in line, suddenly called out:

"Something is coming after us!"

"Coming after us? What do you mean?" asked Nan quickly, as she hurried
to her father's side.

"I mean I've been listening for two or three minutes now, to some animal
following after us along the path. Some big animal, too."

Flossie and Freddie both ran back and took hold of their mother's hands.

"Don't scare the children, Bert," said Mr. Bobbsey, a bit sternly. "Did